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October 26, 2006

Young Ontarians To Speak Out At 2006 Children And Youth Summit

Youth To Share Views With Decision Makers, Service Providers

TORONTO — More than 180 youth from across the province are joining youth services providers and key decision makers today at the 2006 Ontario Children and Youth Summit to discuss solutions to challenges facing youth.

“Young people are telling us that they can help us to help them overcome the significant challenges they face in trying to achieve success and we are listening,” said Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers.  “Our children and youth need and deserve our support.”

The summit, taking place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, has drawn community partners from every sector of youth services across the province to hear what youth have to say about education, employment, mental health, healthy living and well-being. 

Summit speakers include the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable  Michaëlle Jean, Justin Trudeau and Minister Chambers.

Hosted by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the summit brings together community partners, service providers and youth from across the province to discuss services, challenges and opportunities.  This is part of the Ontario government’s commitment to support high quality services for children and youth so they can develop to their full potential. The summit features sessions led by both adult and youth facilitators that include such topics as education and employment, healthy living and well-being, autism, and youth mental health.

“This summit is an important opportunity for all those dedicated individuals and organizations who work together to benefit Ontario’s children, youth and their families to learn from each other and the young people we serve,” said Chambers. 

The Ontario government is working in a variety of ways to transform and improve the many sectors that help young people by building a system that offers a greater integration of services for children, youth and their families, including:

·        Its $28.5 million Youth Opportunities Strategy, a broad plan to help young people in underserved communities achieve success through new and expanded community-based outreach, job-readiness, employment, skills training and youth leadership programs 

·        The creation of YouthConnect.ca, a forum for young people to access information, services and resources that will help them make good choices, achieve success and contribute positively to their communities

·        Funding for Akwe:go, a program to help urban Aboriginal children and youth in 27 communities develop positive life skills and overcome challenges

·        Creating and sustaining almost 15,000 new child care spaces across Ontario through the Best Start Plan; supporting families of young children through vital services, including infant screening and hearing programs, pre-school speech and language programs; providing other supports to help parents balance the demands of work and family

·        Improving the student nutrition program by more than doubling the investment to $8.5 million annually; more than 315,000 elementary and secondary students are receiving healthy breakfasts, lunches or snacks to help them be ready to learn and succeed

·        Improving services for children with autism by increasing the number of children receiving Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) regardless of age; since July 2005, children are not being discharged from autism services on the basis of age

·        Investing an additional $10 million in Children’s Treatment Centres to serve 4,800 more children

·        Providing more children and youth with mental health services through more than 200 new and expanded local programs across the province resulting from increased investments of $38 million annually

·        Reforming the child well-being and protection system through the Child and Family Services Statute Law Amendment Act, to be proclaimed next month, which will strengthen the accountability of children’s aid societies, and allow more children to grow up in caring, permanent homes.

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